Anyone who’s ever tried to plan a group trip with friends will know the myriad ways it can test even the strongest of bonds. If it becomes clear before you even land that half the group wants to spend all day on the beach and the other half wants to go sightseeing, even the planning stage can be a minefield – especially if you all earn different amounts.

The wealth gap between friends can be tricky to navigate at the best of times – just try choosing a restaurant or bar that suits everyone’s budget or finding weekend activities the whole group can afford. But when it comes to holidays, these tensions can be intensified to breaking point if not navigated carefully and sensitively.

As we enter peak summer holiday-planning season, group chats are filling up with messages about booking a group trip this summer. However, if you find yourself in a group where everyone else earns more than you, the messages might be inducing more dread than excitement as you wonder how you’re going to afford what they’re suggesting.

You’re not alone, though. Google searches for ‘group trip no money’ are up by 277%, while there are 6.6 million posts on TikTok under the search term ‘friend with no money on vacation’.

If you find yourself planning a holiday with friends who have more money than you, there are ways you can avoid falling out before you’ve even boarded the plane.

We don’t like talking about money, especially not with our friends, but avoiding these conversations now can make things much more uncomfortable down the line. Rather than making up excuses for not doing things your friends suggest, be upfront and explain that it’s simply out of budget.

“Try not to compare your financial situation to that of your friends. They might be suggesting expensive destinations and activities, but they could be putting it all on a credit card because they can’t afford it either,” says Go2Africa’s travel expert Justin Chapman. “Discussing how much you’re comfortable with paying might even make them realise they don’t want to spend as much as they first thought.”

If your friends are suggesting destinations that are out of your budget, suggest alternatives rather than saying no to the holiday entirely.

“Lesser-known islands or towns just outside of main cities are often a lot less expensive and usually have fewer tourists,” says Chapman. “Look at other accommodation, like renting an apartment or an Airbnb instead of staying in a pricey hotel. Staying somewhere with a kitchen means you can save money by cooking at home instead of eating out every night.”

Of course, you want everyone in the group to be happy, so compromise where you can. “You could suggest a cheaper hotel that has options for your friends to have luxury upgrades or you could stay in a cheap apartment that means you can budget for more extravagant activities and nights out. If possible, suggest changing the dates they’re looking at and travel out of season to save money on destinations you couldn’t afford in the height of summer.”

Schedule time to get together and discuss the travel plans, rather than trying to do everything via the group chat. “It’ll be easier to brainstorm ideas or discuss concerns, rather than sending hotel suggestions that only one person in the group chat responds to, while someone else in the group never gets rounds to replying,” recommends Chapman.

As well as negotiating the big expenses like hotels and flights, make sure you discuss the smaller things too – they add up quicker than you think.

“Do some research of the local area and suggest some restaurants and bars you’d all be happy going to so you don’t get stuck paying more than you budgeted for because you couldn’t find anywhere cheaper to eat,” says Chapman. “Also, decide before you go if you’re splitting bills equally or paying for exactly what you have – it avoids awkward discussions when the bill comes.”

Chapman recommends working out how much you’ll need for each day, plus a little extra for emergencies, and then stick to it. “If you find it difficult to stick to a budget when you’re away, leave the cards at home and only take cash, so you can’t spend any more than you can afford,” he says. “It can be easy to get carried away on holiday and end up spending more than you intended, especially when you’re with people who can spend more than you. But remember, their budget is not your budget, and it’s up to you to stick to the funds you have.”

“If you can’t afford it, don’t feel guilty for saying no,” says Chapman. “Be honest with your friends and tell them why you can’t attend, rather than making up an excuse.”

If they know the real reason you can’t attend, they might change the plans to suit you. If their heart is really set on the plans they’ve come up with, hopefully they’ll be more cost-conscious next time you plan a trip together.

Images: Adobe